Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 19 August 2021 be confirmed.

Please note that, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct, when declaring interests members must disclose the existence and nature of the interest, and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) or personal and/or pecuniary.

No declarations of interest were received.

Councillor Neil Murray, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth:

a)    presented a report to Performance Scrutiny Committee covering the areas:

· Responding to the Pandemic

· Recovery Plan

· Major Projects

· Culture

· Planning Policy

· Car Parking

· Our Visitor Economy

· Heritage

b)    invited members’ comments and questions

Question: Members commented that there were some lovely buildings on the High Street and asked what else would be done to help restore these.

Response: Talks with shop owners were taking place to offer them grants to improve their shop fronts.

Question: Members commented that it was great news that the Central Market was being developed and asked what was being done to help stall holders as they needed to move out while development took place.

Response: There was a compensation scheme in place to help stallholders and we had employed a local agent to locate premises for stallholders that still wished to trade.

Question: Members asked what support was given to small businesses that were setting up.

Response: The Small Business Support Team would help new businesses and they had been very helpful in encouraging small business to set up. We did have Managed Workspace facilities available which had been at 100% capacity for a while.

Question: Members asked if there were any plans for any more Managed Workspace Buildings.

Response: Work was taking place with Investors of Lincoln on proposals for further expansion.

Question: Members asked when they would receive the full Lincoln City Profile.

Response: The Lincoln City Profile was being produced chapter by chapter due to staff shortages within the Policy Team, which was currently encountering staff shortages.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Simon Colburn, Assistant Director (Health and Environmental Services):

a)    gave a verbal update on preparations being made for the Lincoln Christmas Market 2021

b)    invited members’ comments and questions.

Question: Members asked how many stall holders had confirmed their attendance at the market.

Response: When the slots initially became available to book, 130 stalls signed up very quickly and there had been a further 15 stalls having registered since then. The stallholders were very keen to attend.

Question: Members asked if the costs for security had risen since the last market.

Response: The cost of security was the same each year and the costs were built into the budget.

Question: Members asked if coaches were driving to the showground for use as a park and ride.

Response: There would be a park and ride at the showground and a lot of media coverage released around this. There would also be extra communications to advise customers to carry out COVID lateral flow tests before they came and to use hand sanitiser at stalls. The park and ride scheme would also encourage passengers to wear masks.

Question: Members asked whether the toilets would be opened for the market.

Response: The toilet would be opened for the market.

Question: Members asked if there were any trains that were arriving into the city.

Response: There were trains that were going to be coming but the numbers hadn’t been finalised.

Question: Members asked if there were more local traders as stallholders.

Response: There was more local traders and there was an even ratio of the type of stall that would be attending. A list of the stalls would be passed onto Performance Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED that:

1.    A list of the stalls be circulated to Performance Scrutiny Committee.

2.    The verbal update be noted.

Councillor Bob Bushell, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place:

a)    provided Performance Scrutiny Committee with an update on progress towards addressing the challenge of the Climate Change Strategic Priority contained in Vision 2025.

b)    explained that there were 11 projects that were being monitored in the work programme for Climate Change as detailed within the Project Monitoring Table at Appendix A of the report.

c)    highlighted that the following projects had been completed within the last 12 months:

·         Gain Environmental Accreditation

·         City of Lincoln Council Travel Plan (2019-2024)

·         Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

·         Air Quality Management Plan

d)    explained that the following projects were flagged as green and were meeting the set milestones:

·         Work with partners on the Lincoln Climate Commission and deliver Lincoln Climate Action Plan

·         Stop using single-use plastics and encourage our partners to do the same

·         Make current and future business premises as energy efficient as possible

·         Climate conscious infrastructure projects developed as part of Town Fund Board vision

·         Central Lincolnshire Local Plan – Climate Policies

·         Setting the Lincoln Standard for Zero Carbon Homes

·         Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme

e)    invited members’ comments and questions.

Question: Members asked whether there was any other available data that went back further and what baseline was being worked from.

Response: This information would be included in the next Remarkable Place Portfolio Holder Report.

Question: Members asked if there were ambitions to move our fleet over to electric vehicles and whether contractors were being encouraged to do so.

Response: BIFFA were looking at trialling an electric bin lorry but these were expensive. The City of Lincoln Council did have some electric vehicles already in the fleet and were looking at transferring the remaining vehicles so that the whole fleet was electric.

Question: Members asked whether there was a Policy where a council tenant could have an electric vehicle charge point added to their property.

Response: There was a policy for existing tenants to bring improvements to their property but they would need to apply/get permission and there was a grant to assist in this process.

Question: Members asked for clarification on the figures provided within the Travel Plan.

Response: Officers were to linvestigate this and check that these figures were correct.

Question: Members asked what would happen to the Green Homes Grant monies due to be spent in 2021; the report stated that 40 homes had been fitted in 2021 but there was no expenditure itemised on the account.

Response: This was a typing error in the report as it should dof read 40 homes would be fitted by the end of 2022. The first stage of this project had not yet started as a formal agreement had not yet been signed with E-ON.

Question: Members asked how people would qualify for the Green Homes Grant.

Response: The scheme was available for people who were in fuel poverty and they would need to apply. The take up for the scheme was not known.

Question: Members asked for information on the results from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

Clare Stait, Democratic Services Officer:

a)    presented the draft work programme for 2021/22 as detailed at Appendix A of her report

b)    advised that the work programme for the Performance Scrutiny Committee was put forward annually for approval by Council; the work programme was then regularly updated throughout the year in consultation with the Performance Scrutiny Committee and its Chair

c)    reported that items had been scheduled in accordance with the existing work programme and officers’ guidance regarding the meetings at which the most up-to-date information could be reported to the committee; the work programme also included the list of portfolio holders under scrutiny

d)    requested any relevant comments or changes to the proposed work programme for 2021/22.

RESOLVED that the work programme 2021/22 be noted.

You are asked to resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item(s) because it is likely that if members of the press or public were present, there would be disclosure of ‘exempt information’

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item(s) of business because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be a disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Caroline Bird, Community Services Manager:

a)    updated Performance Scrutiny Committee on the operation of the CCTV service

b)    invited members’ comments and questions.

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail.

RESOLVED that the report be noted

Jaclyn Gibson, Chief Finance Officer:

a)    presented Performance Scrutiny Committee the financial position in respect of the council’s investment properties, specifically including the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the expected return on those assets

b)    invited members’ questions and comments.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.